The present invention relates to a semiconductor device. Particularly, it relates to a semiconductor device including semiconductor elements housed in a resin case.
In an apparatus such as an inverter apparatus, an uninterruptible power supply, a machine tool or an industrial robot, a semiconductor device (general purpose module) including power semiconductor elements mounted therein is used independently of a body of the apparatus. Such a semiconductor device has a structure in which power semiconductor elements are sealed (housed) in a resin case (e.g. see Patent Documents 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-6-045518, and Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2002-368192).
Wiring terminals (lead frames) are generally used for internally wiring such a semiconductor device (e.g. see Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2005-064441).
For example, FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing main part of a semiconductor device including a power semiconductor element housed in a resin case. FIG. 11 shows an example of the semiconductor device which is internally wired by use of a wiring terminal.
As shown in FIG. 11, the semiconductor device includes an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) element 100 disposed in a resin case 400. The IGBT element 100 mentioned herein is a vertical power semiconductor element which has an emitter electrode disposed in its upper surface, and a collector electrode disposed in its lower surface. The emitter electrode of the IGBT element 100 and a wiring substrate 200 are conductively connected to each other through a wiring terminal 600. The collector electrode of the IGBT element 100 is conductively connected to the wiring substrate 200 directly.
The emitter electrode and the wiring substrate 200 are generally joined to each other through the wiring terminal 600, for example, by soldering, ultrasonic bonding, laser welding or the like.
In the aforementioned semiconductor device, there was however a problem that it was impossible to change the layout of the wiring terminal 600 easily.
The invention has been developed in consideration of the aforementioned problem.
An object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor device which includes semiconductor elements housed in a resin case and in which it is possible to change the layout of at least one wiring terminal easily.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.